Jason Spencer
FOUNDER · ROI.LIVE · ASHEVILLE, NC
REVIEWED SEPTEMBER 2026
How to hire a fractional CMO.
Before you hire anybody for this seat, including me, make them answer seven questions.
The title does not tell you who makes decisions, how much time they have or who implements the plan. Compare those commitments before comparing the presentation.
Use the seven questions as an evidence record. Mark each answer documented, follow-up needed or unacceptable. There is no validated score that predicts a good hire. Budget, authority, capacity and account control are critical checks even when the other answers look strong.
Apply the same evidence standard to ROI.LIVE and every other candidate.
Jason Spencer
Start with Jason
Run the seven questions on me in the first five minutes. Bring your numbers.
01
THE SCORECARD
The seven questions
Record the evidence and unresolved questions. There is no automatic passing score.
Documented
A named owner, relevant record or permissioned reference supports the answer.
Follow-up
Evidence is incomplete. Set a specific question and a reply date.
Unacceptable
A critical requirement cannot be met or a material claim is false.
01
What time is committed to my business, and who covers an urgent decision?
Documented: A workload and availability plan names executive time, specialist support, response expectations and cover. Follow-up: Only a client count is supplied. Unacceptable: The promised work exceeds credible capacity. ROI.LIVE confirms time and start date in the proposal.
02
Who physically touches my ad account, and what is their name?
Documented: The proposal names the person doing daily account work and the approver for live changes. Follow-up: You have a role but no assigned person. Unacceptable: Nobody accepts responsibility. At ROI.LIVE, Jason owns direction and a named specialist handles daily delivery.
03
What would you do in the first 30 days?
Documented: The plan starts with a baseline before changes, required access and bounded diagnosis, then names owners and outputs. Follow-up: Timing depends on missing records. Unacceptable: Work or spend begins without scope and authority. Useful discovery is part of the job.
04
Show me one client you have kept longer than three years.
Documented: A permissioned client reference and dates show a relationship longer than 36 months. Follow-up: A reference is being arranged. Unacceptable: A three-year case or an average is presented as proof of more than three years. Ask ROI.LIVE for a relevant dated reference; this page does not claim that the evidence has already been supplied.
05
What does a failed engagement look like in your history?
Documented: A permissioned example explains the goal, what failed, the cost or outcome and the resulting change. Follow-up: Confidentiality requires a more limited example. Unacceptable: A material result is invented or limitations are concealed.
06
How do you make money besides my retainer?
Documented: The proposal discloses fees, media, software, outside production and any referral payment or markup. Follow-up: A cost line is missing. Unacceptable: A material incentive is concealed. ROI.LIVE states the applicable costs before commitment.
07
What number will you be measured on?
Documented: A business outcome has a baseline, source, period and owner, with margin and cash limits. Follow-up: Measurement needs repair. Unacceptable: Guaranteed revenue substitutes for a method. Supporting diagnostics may include reach or traffic when they help explain the result.
Use your browser’s Print command to print this scorecard or save it as a PDF. Example: a candidate with a named strategist but no assigned specialist is “follow-up” on question 2. That gap cannot be cancelled out by strong answers elsewhere. Complete the assignment before signing.
02
THE RED FLAGS
Six red flags
Resolve critical gaps before committing money.
Do not sign while these are unresolved
- The total programme cost would endanger delivery cash.
- The scope lacks enough executive or specialist capacity.
- Budget and publication authority are unclear.
- The initial term, renewal or cancellation notice is missing.
- Your business cannot retain control of its accounts and agreed assets.
- A material performance claim is false or cannot be substantiated.
A confidentiality restriction or thoughtful pause is not proof of dishonesty. Request a suitable alternative record and assess whether it answers the question.
03
THE PRICE
What it should cost
Compare scope, available time and the full cost.
PUBLISHED BY ME
$5K to $15K
ROI.LIVE engagements start at $5,000 a month, with most between $5,000 and $15,000. The written scope sets the fee, executive availability and specialist work. Media, software and approved outside production are separate.
VERSUS
THE REST OF THE BUDGET
Separate
Media, software, outside production and internal staff time belong in the comparison. Another provider’s price can be assessed once its scope and costs are clear.
04
HOW TO START
Two ways to start
The free call checks fit; the paid diagnostic has a separate scope.
START HERE · FREE
The free growth call
Free15 minutes · on my calendar
A free 15-minute growth call to review your goals, headline numbers and fit. You leave with a brief summary of the conversation and next steps. Account-level investigation, forecasts and a full written strategy require separate agreed work.
- Bring revenue, marketing spend and the question you need answered.
- Review the current situation and likely next step in 15 minutes.
- Keep a brief written summary of the discussion.
- No purchase or ongoing commitment is required.
Start with Jason
Keep the brief summary and next steps. A complete strategy requires separate investigation.
PAID DIAGNOSTIC · FIXED SCOPE
The Growth Constraint Snapshot
$2,500Written deliverable · not a sales call
The $2,500 Growth Constraint Snapshot is a separate written diagnostic using the accounts and records agreed in its scope. It identifies the best-supported growth constraint, evidence gaps and a sequence of actions. More than one issue may contribute to the problem.
- Agreed account and business-record review.
- Written diagnosis with sources, assumptions and remaining gaps.
- Prioritised actions with owners and indicative costs.
- Review call to explain the diagnostic.
- Scope, access, payment and delivery terms confirmed before purchase.
See the Snapshot details
The Snapshot is a separate purchase. Any retainer credit must be stated in writing; none is assumed. Discuss the scope through the free call before purchasing.
05
QUESTIONS
Questions before you hire anyone
What should I check before hiring?
Check the full cost, executive availability, delivery capacity, decision authority, client evidence and account ownership.
Is there a passing score for a fractional CMO candidate?
No. A total cannot compensate for a critical budget, capacity, authority or ownership problem. Mark each answer documented, follow-up needed or unacceptable and resolve essential gaps before signing.
What references should I request?
Ask for a relevant client reference with engagement dates, a result with its costs and reporting period, and an example of how the candidate handled a problem.
Should the CMO be hired before the agency?
Start with the missing responsibility. A capable agency may cover strategy and delivery; an existing leader may only need specialist support. Choose a fractional CMO first when the business lacks decision ownership and can fund implementation.
How quickly can ROI.LIVE start?
Your proposal confirms the start date, executive time and team capacity.
What happens on the free call?
A free 15-minute growth call to review your goals, headline numbers and fit. You leave with a brief summary of the conversation and next steps. Account-level investigation, forecasts and a full written strategy require separate agreed work. The $2,500 Growth Constraint Snapshot is separate, with scope, payment and delivery terms agreed before purchase.
THE NEXT STEP
Bring your numbers.
Bring the seven questions to the call. Ask for the evidence you need to compare ROI.LIVE with your other candidates.
Availability and start date confirmed before you commit.
